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Bradley II

Bradley’s adorable and energetic personality creates a lot of smiles. Born in May of 2017, Bradley gets his name from my first pet as a child growing up in the Valley of the Moon of California. The original “Bradley” was an equally charming Shetland Sheep Dog (“Sheltie”) that loved to playfully torment my horses and was an amazing childhood best friend. When I met the current Bradley, I could see in his eyes that he shared the same wonderful qualities, which is why I decided to carry on the name.

Bradley has an incredible amount of positive energy. As is true with most retrievers, he will play fetch, run, swim, and play until he wears out all the humans he is around.

Around 6 months old though, we noticed that Bradley had an unusual limp that was causing him to cut his play time short. On physical exam, there weren’t any conclusive findings. But, upon x-rays and consult with a specialist, we found out that Bradley has bilateral osteochondritis dissicans (OCD) in both of his shoulders. This is a painful disease of the joint that is caused by abnormal cartilage development.

Fortunately, with the use of some excellent joint supplements, Bradley is able to run and play without pain. This condition may mean he will require surgery as he advances in age, but we are happy that he is able to be his youthful and playful self right now.

One of Bradley’s favorite activities is playing with his two feline housemates, Hannibal and Spot. Though they are pretty tolerant of Bradley’s energy level, it isn’t uncommon for him to get a sassy cat slap across the nose when he pushes their limits.

When he isn’t busy being entertained by the cats, he has several toys that he moves around the house throughout the day. Particularly fond of the squeaky toy, Bradley loves to show off putting more than one toy in his mouth at once.

Shortly after his morning and evening meals, he gathers a minimum of 3 toys in his mouth and proudly parades around the house making sure everyone sees his toy carrying skills. It’s a morning and evening ritual that brings a lot of smiles to our home.

We are lucky to have Bradley as a part of our lives, and look forward to many years to come!

Claire joined THRIVE in 2018 and will focus on Learning and Development. She resides in Orlando, Florida.

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